Roll holder

ABSTRACT

A roll holder for supporting a roll of paper or the like in upright position on a counter surface for easy unrolling. The holder has a first extension arranged for detachable connection to a bracket secured on an upright wall surface and has a second extension projecting downwardly through the center of the roll forming a spindle for guiding rotation of the roll. A base is secured on the counter surface to hold such roll off the counter. The base may have a side extension formed into a soap holder.

O Umted States Patent [191 [1 1 3,806,057 Whatley Apr. 23, 1974 ROLL HOLDER 3,227,386 '1/1966 Pitcher 242/552 [76] Inventor: Blanche E. Whatley, 329 S.

Manhattan NO 403, Los Angeles, Primary ExammerLeonard D. Christian Calif 90020 Attorney, Agent, or FirmEugene M. Eckelman [22] Filed: Sept. 13, 1972 [57] ABSTRACT pp No: 288,583 A roll holder for supporting a roll of paper or the like I in upright position on a counter surface for easy un- 52 us. Cl. 242/5554, 242/552 rolling- The holder has a first extension arranged for 51 Int. Cl B65h 19/00 detachable Connection to a bracket Secured an [58] Field of Search 242/552, 55.3, 5554; right Wall Surface and has a Second extension i 225/33 54 7 21 1/6, 16 ing downwardly through the center of the roll forming a spindle for guiding rotation ofthe roll. A base is se- 5 References Cited cured on the counter surface to hold such roll off the UNITED STATES PATENTS counter. The base may have a side extension formed into a soap holder] 2,118,751 5/1938 Wolfson 225/67 718,722 1/1903 Nelson 225/67 5 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures ROLL HOLDER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring in particular to the drawings, the numeral This invention relates to new and useful improve- 5 designates a roll of paper which is of a type in comments in roll holders and more particularly is concerned with such a holder for maintaining a roll, such as a roll of paper towels, in a vertical position for easy unrolling of the roll.

Devices have heretofore been proposed for holding rolls in a vertical position. An example of such holders is shown in the U.S. Pat. to Good No. 1,224,106, the U.S. Pat. to Locke No. 2,928,618, and the U.S. Pat. to Pitcher No. 3,227,38 6.'These patents however are wall supported and have an upwardly projecting spindle for holding the rolls. In this type of holder, it is required that it support the entire weight of the roll.

Other patents have been granted covering structures for holding a roll upright with the roll supported on the floor, such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,587,234 and 1,658,794. Such structures however were not intended to provide a rolling support for the roll while disposed in a vertical position but merely were intended to provide upright support in storage. The roll is laid flat when it is to be unrolled.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention and forming an important objective thereof, there is provided a holder which is adapted to be removably attached to a wall structure and which has a downward extension arranged for' holding a roll in an upright position on a counter.

Another object is to provide in combination with the roll holder an embodiment employing a base to maintain the roll off the counter surface. Said base may have an extending portion which can serve as a soap holder.

Another object ofthe invention is to provide a roll holder of the type ,described which is simplified in structure and inexpensive to manufacture.

The invention will be better understood and additional objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred form of the device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a roll holder embodying features of the present invention, a portion of the view being broken away;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a bracket arm portion of the holder of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a wall mounting bracket for attaching the bracket arm to a wall surface;

mon use. Such roll has a hollow center 12 which may or may not include a rigid tubular core member 14. The ends 16 of the roll are flat.

Forming a part of the invention is a first embodiment of holder, FIGS. 1, 2, and 3. This holder includes a bracket arm 18 having a body portion 20 and two parallel extensions 22 and 24. These two extensions and body portion 20 together form a U-shape, except that extension 24 is considerably longer than extension 22. The bracket arm 18 is adapted for mounting on a wall in inverted position by engagement of extension 22 in a wall mounting bracket 26 detailed in its structure in FIG. 3. Such bracket is of the type which may be secured to the wall, as by adhesive or screws, and has a top opening guideway 28 to receive the extension 22, such guideway being formed by intumed side portions 30 on the bracket.

In supporting a roll by means of the present holder, the roll is stood upright on a counter surface and the bracket arm 18 inserted such that the extension 24 thereof projects down through the center of the roll and the extension 22 mounts in the bracket 26. The weight of the roll 10 is supported on the counter surface 32 and such roll is guided in rotative motion by the extension 24. For this purpose, the extension 24 is of sufficient length such that the roll will be maintained in vertical position wen it is unrolled.

Although the roll of towels may be seated directly on the counter surface, a base member 34 is preferably used with the holder, FIGS. 1 and 4. This base member comprises a flat body portion 36 which may be secured to the counter surface such as by adhesive 35. An aperture 38 is provided in the base member, and the extension 24 of the holder is of sufficient length to project completely through the roll and be engaged at its bottom end in such aperture, FIG. 5. Aperture 38 is rectangular and is dimensioned to anchor the extension against any appreciable lateral movement.

In an alternative form of the invention, FIG. 6, a base member 34' may be provided having an extension 40 which is bent up from the body portion 36' at 42 at an obtuse angle and which has a pair of right angle bends 44 and 46 between the bend 42 and the end. The right angle bends 44 and 46 form an angled bottom shelf 48 and a back 50 for supporting a bar of soap. Shelf 48 and back 50 have slots 52 for drainage and also have projections 54 to provide a grip on the soap as well as to lessen the contact area with the soap.

In mounting the towel holder of FIG. 6, it preferably is positioned such that the soap holding portion 40 of its base member 34' overhangs a portion of the sink so that drainage from the soap will drip into the sink. This embodiment has an aperture 38' as in the embodiment of FIG. 4 to receive the bottom end of the bracket arm extension 24.

FIG. 7 shows another form of base member 34". In this embodiment, the base member assumes arectangular, tubular construction having a top longitudinally extending slot 56. This slot is adapted to receive bracket extension 24 for anchoring the bottom end against lateral movement. The base member 34" is secured to the counter surface by suitable means, as by adhesive. This base member preferably has open ends, facilitating construction thereof by an extrusion process. Y

According to the invention, a towel holder is provided having a novel structure capable of maintaining a roll of paper towels or the like in a vertical position whereby the weight of the roll is supported at the bottom or in other words such weight is supported on the counter. It may be possible to mount the roll without the base member, in which case it is necessary to provide a spindle structure of a length necessary to hold the roll-of towels rotatably as a towel is stripped therefrom. The base member, however, is preferred because the bottom end of the roll is anchored against lateral movement to provide a more stable mounting. In any one of the embodiments, however, towels are readily stripped from the roll just as conveniently or more so than towels supported on horizontal mounting means. Since the weight of the towels is supported by the counter, the holder and bracket portions can be of light weight inexpensive material.

In a preferred arrangement, the width of extension 24 is such that it has a rather snug fit in the center opening of the roll of towels so as to provide a frictional grip on the towels. This will cause a little resistance to turning the 'roll to prevent excess usage and also to make it easier to tear off a towel. Also, it is preferred that the body portion ride on the top end of the roll to impart an additional drag to the turning of the roll.

It is to be understood that the forms of my invention herein shown and described are to be taken as preferred examples of the same and that 'various other changes in the shape, size and arrangements of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A holder for a roll of paper towels or the like of the type having end wall surfaces and a full length axial opening, comprising a bracket, means on said brakcet arranged to secure it to a wall above a counter surface, means in said bracket defining a top opening socket, a

horizontal body portion having parallel depending first and second extensions on opposite ends thereof, said first extension fitting down in the top opening of said bracket for supporting said body portion with said second extension extending down toward the counter surface and arranged to form a vertical spindle for a roll of paper towels, a flat base member arranged to seat flatwise on the counter surface and to support a roll of towels on said spindle above the counter surface, and means arranged to secure said base member on the counter surface.

2. The holder of claim 1 wherein said base member has an aperture opening through its upper surface, said spindle extending the full length of the roll of paper and engaging said aperture whereby to have anchored relation in lateral directions.

3. The holder of claim' 2 wherein said base member has a lateral extension provided with a shelf for holding articles such as soap.

4. The holder of claim 1 wherein said spindle is dimensioned and arranged to fit frictionally in the axial opening of the roll to cause a drag on rotative movement of the roll.

5. A holder for a roll of paper towels or the like of the type having end wall surfaces and a full length axial opening, comprising a body portion, a bracket, means on said bracket arranged to secure said bracket to a support above a counter surface, means on said body portion arranged to be engaged with said bracket for supporting said body portion on the bracket, a spindle on said body portion projecting downwardly therefrom and arranged to project down through the axial opening of a roll of towels, whereby to hold the roll of towels in a vertical rotatable position, a base member arranged to seat on a counter below said spindle for supporting the roll of towels off the surface of the counter, means arranged to secure said base member to the counter surface, and a lateral extension on said base member provided with a shelf for holding articles such as soap. 

1. A holder for a roll of paper towels or the like of the type having end wall surfaces and a full length axial opening, comprising a bracket, means on said brakcet arranged to secure it to a wall above a counter surface, means in said bracket defining a top opening socket, a horizontal body portion having parallel depending first and second extensions on opposite ends thereof, said first extension fitting down in the top opening of said bracket for supporting said body portion with said second extension extending down toward the counter surface and arranged to form a vertical spindle for a roll of paper towels, a flat base member arranged to seat flatwise on the counter surface and to support a roll of towels on said spindle above the counter surface, and means arranged to secure said base member on the counter surface.
 2. The holder of claim 1 wherein said base member has an aperture opening through its upper surface, said spindle extending the full length of the roll of paper and engaging said aperture whereby to have anchored relation in lateral directions.
 3. The holder of claim 2 wherein said base member has a lateral extension provided with a shelf for holding articles such as soap.
 4. The holder of claim 1 wherein said spindle is dimensioned and arranged to fit frictionally in the axial opening of the roll to cause a drag on rotative movement of the roll.
 5. A holder for a roll of paper towels or the like of the type having end wall surfaces and a full length axial opening, comprising a body portion, a bracket, means on said bracket arranged to secure said bracket to a support above a counter surface, means on said body portion arranged to be engaged with said bracket for supporting said body portion on the bracket, a spindle on said body portion projecting downwardly therefrom and arranged to project down through the axial opening of a roll of towels, whereby to hold the roll of towels in a vertical rotatable position, a base member arranged to seat on a counter below said spindle for supporting the roll of towels off the surface of the counter, means arranged to secure said base member to the counter surface, and a lateral extension on said base member provided with a shelf for holding articles such as soap. 